Trial By Fire
by Orange Lantern Tsume
Summary: Instead of dying, Phoenix arrives in the DC universe. Will the JLA learn her secret? Will she ever lead a normal life? Will she go evil again? R&R! COMPLETE!
1. Arrival

Trial By Fire  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: I hope everyone enjoys this story!  
  
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Chapter 1: Arrival  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
All was quiet in the black space of the DC universe. Not a sound was heard in the dark depths of the infinite beyond---not even the roaring flames of the Phoenix as she flew toward the Earth, seeking shelter.  
  
The cosmic entity had not perished in the battle against the Shi'ar, as everyone believed. After awakening Jean Grey, the Phoenix had left the Marvel universe, searching for a place where there was no twin of her to take away a home she sought. Perhaps this world, parallel to her own, would provide haven for her?  
  
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Astronauts, orbiting in their satellites and running diagnostic checks to make sure everything was working properly, spotted the giant firebird and gasped in amazement. One of the crew, praying the creature was not yet another world-conqueror/destroyer, grabbed the radio and called his superiors.  
  
"Houston, we have a very big problem here!" he said, trying not to panic.  
  
"What is it, over?" the other end asked.  
  
A general, on hand to observe the event, stepped over to the comm man. "What's happening?"  
  
"I'm finding out, General."  
  
"Houston, some sort of gigantic firebird just shot past us, heading right for Earth," the astronaut reported. "I say again: A giant bird made of flames is heading for Earth."  
  
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It was night, and the island nation of Themyscira was at peace. A couple of sentries stood guard outside. A flicker in the sky caught one guard's attention.  
  
"What's that?" she asked, pointing into the sky.  
  
The second guard squinted to try and see better. She blinked when she noticed something odd.  
  
"It looks like a fireball heading right for us!" she gasped as it came closer.  
  
Both women watched, ready to run for cover, as the massive collection of flame flew closer, and crashed into the sea with a large splash of waves. As it was falling, it had cast a brilliant light, waking up many of the other women.  
  
"What's going on?" Queen Hippolyta asked as she arrived on the scene, hurriedly dressed.  
  
"My Queen, a massive flame just fell into the sea," one of the guards said.  
  
Hippolyta blinked. "What?"  
  
"I know it sounds preposterous, Queen Hippolyta, but we saw it with our own eyes!" the second guard said.  
  
"Queen Hippolyta, we've found someone!" an Amazon called.  
  
The crowd that had gathered parted to make way for several women. Two Amazons carried a woman between them, under the arms. From the looks of it, the stranger was a civilian outsider, dressed in ragged clothes and drenched in water from her dip in the sea. She had flaming red hair cascading down her back, but it was now flat and soaked from the waters.  
  
"Take her inside and keep her warm. I want someone to make sure she gets back to full health, and have a sentry on her, just in case."  
  
The others nodded, and everyone watched with open curiosity at the stranger.  
  
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The cosmic entity known as the Phoenix was virtually finished healing herself by the time that the Amazons had placed her under a healer's care. The woman examined her, greatly astonished that her charge was in such good condition.  
  
The next morning, Queen Hippolyta visited Phoenix, who had been given Amazon robes to replace her regular ones, which had been in tatters.  
  
"Greetings, stranger," Hippolyta said politely. "I am Queen Hippolyta, monarch of Themyscira. May I ask your name?"  
  
Phoenix considered telling the truth, but through that option out the window in a heartbeat. No one must know who she was, and there was only one other identity that she could use.  
  
"Jean Grey," the firebird lied easily. "What happened to get me here?"  
  
"You washed up on our shores after a massive fireball fell into the sea. How did you get out this far from land?"  
  
Phoenix lied again. "I had a small yacht. It must have gone off course when I went to sleep."  
  
"I suppose, then, that it is conceivable that the fireball destroyed your vessel, and you survived to reach us," Hippolyta theorized.  
  
"That must be it."  
  
"I will have to contact my daughter to come and return you to your world."  
  
Excusing herself, Hippolyta went to do as she promised. "Jean" stayed in her given quarters for some time, sitting cross-legged and going into a trance. In her mind, she sorted out her priorities and making decisions. This "daughter" would provide transportation and then Phoenix would be on her own, which didn't bother her as much as she supposed it would.  
  
Later, a plane arrived. Hippolyta introduced Jean to her daughter Diana, the superhero known as Wonder Woman.  
  
"Nice to meet you," Diana said as she shook Jean's hand.  
  
"Same here," Jean said.  
  
The two women boarded the plane and took off.  
  
"Where are you from?" Diana asked.  
  
"Metropolis," Jean lied. She had been probing Diana's mind and used the first major city that came up.  
  
"You like it there?"  
  
"I just got an apartment there. I haven't had time to really move in yet."  
  
"Well, you should like it, despite the trouble from all the supervillains and whatnot."  
  
'Great, more bozos and losers,' Jean thought darkly.  
  
With Javelin 7's speed, it didn't take the two long to reach Metropolis, and Diana waved goodbye to Jean before heading to assist someone else, or so the cosmic entity assumed. Jean then took a look at herself and realized how odd she would appear, dressed as though from ancient Greece. Using her vast powers, she rearranged the molecular structure of the robes into street clothes, and proceeded down the streets.  
  
She had been wandering for a couple of hours, taking in the sites and people, when trouble struck.  
  
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The crowd of people at the plaza gasped when Superman flew into sight with a laser firing at him wildly. They shrieked and ran for cover, while Jean carefully watched the battle. The superhero flew masterfully, she admitted.  
  
Firing his heat vision and slicing through the cannon's power housing, Superman caused an explosion that sent him flying back and shot a final blast of energy at Jean. The woman was thrown back into a building, forming a crater.  
  
Superman used his ice breath to freeze the remains of the weapon and then tied up the thugs who had been using the cannon. Looking over, he saw Jean shake off the effects of the blast as she stood up.  
  
"What in the name of...?" he began, but broke off at the sound of an arriving jet.  
  
Javelin 7 descended into a hovering position, and Wonder Woman, Flash, and the Martian Manhunter flew down to their comrade. As they did so, Jean subtly blocked any memories of herself in Diana's mind. If the superhero tried to remember her, only vague hints would come.  
  
"We discovered trouble in Metropolis on the news and rushed to your side," the Martian said. "It is unfortunate we did not arrive sooner."  
  
"I handled the cannon," Superman replied. "But I think there are bigger problems now." The others followed his pointing finger, which was aimed at Jean. Diana's brow furrowed, for she knew the redhead was familiar to her.  
  
"I got this one," Flash said with a cocky grin as he started toward Jean.  
  
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AUTHOR: Hope someone likes this!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	2. Who Is She?

Trial By Fire  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
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Chapter 2: Who Is She?  
  
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Phoenix couldn't let a bunch of superheroes figure out who she was. Her rap sheet wasn't too long, but it was uglier than most people's.  
  
The Flash was fast, but he had his weaknesses. Using her telekinesis, Phoenix caused part of the building she was backed against to crumble, the chunks falling in front of her and blocking the heroes' view. Keeping the edge, she melted a hole in the ground and dropped into the dark sewers, her flight power speeding her along.  
  
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The Justice Leaguers, stunned for a second, acted swiftly. Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, and Superman lifted and smashed the rubble that had fallen on the woman, while Flash went around to see if the paramedics were on their way.  
  
"Not much further," Superman said.  
  
The team cleared the final pieces of debris and blinked. A hole was in the ground in front of them, caused by what must have been intense heat, or something close to that.  
  
"I'll check it out," Superman offered, and dropped down.  
  
The sewer was dark but he could see well enough. Looking around, he used his super-vision to try and see if the woman was there or not. No such luck, and he reached out with his hearing. His ears picked up a distant rustle, which he could just barely make out, and he telepathically spoke with J'Onn as he flew toward the noise, which he suspected to be the woman, or whoever had created the hole.  
  
'Will you need assistance?' J'Onn asked.  
  
'Hopefully not, but if I do, you'll be the first to know,' Superman responded.  
  
Picking up the pace, he moved closer to the fleeing rustles.  
  
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J'Onn turned to Flash and Diana. "Superman is pursuing what may be the cause of the woman's disappearance."  
  
"He need any help?" Flash asked.  
  
"He will contact us if he does."  
  
"That's good, but could you boys help a woman clean up here, in case the woman is still somehow buried beneath this rubble?" Diana asked.  
  
The Martian and the human smiled sheepishly.  
  
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Phoenix had rearranged the molecular structure of her street clothes, and was now wearing her Dark Phoenix costume. She kept her telepathic radar open, in case any of those Justice Leaguers were planning on trying to catch her.  
  
She halted suddenly, her mind telling her that someone was closing in on her, and at a very rapid rate. It was too fast to be Wonder Woman, so it was either the Flash or Superman, and a brief, long-range scan told her it was the latter.  
  
Looking about, she tried to find a hiding place, but the water below was the only spot. Scowling, she used her telekinesis to lift the water up and, encased in a telekinetic bubble, she hid below the waters, hidden from view.  
  
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Superman flew to the spot where the rustling noises had last come from, but no one was there. Confused, he looked around with his x-ray vision, trying to find the person responsible for the sounds, but no one was near.  
  
Thinking, he tried to formulate a plan, but nothing came, and he decided to call it quits.  
  
After he had left for several minutes, Phoenix rose form the waters, perfectly dry and rather annoyed at this turn of events. Apparently, her future held suffering for her, since a new life that might have been was being taken away from her.  
  
She flew off into the bowels of the city of Metropolis.  
  
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The Justice League of America was in conference at the Watchtower. Superman was holding the floor at the moment, with the others listening. Among the gathered were Batman, Wonder Woman, the Martian Manhunter, Flash, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern.  
  
"The woman may have a connection with whoever or whatever this firebird is that was seen by those astronauts last night," Superman was saying. "She could be some random victim, yes, but she could also be many other things, such as an avatar or a witch."  
  
"Or who knows what else?" Batman said. "She could also be a metahuman from another city."  
  
"Or perhaps," J'Onn said, "she is a being from the stars, like myself."  
  
"Maybe she's from another dimension entirely," Green Lantern said.  
  
"She could be a hero or a villain," Hawkgirl said. "We could speculate all day, but until we find her and whatever made that hole in the ground, it's rather pointless to waste valuable time."  
  
"Wisely said, Hawkgirl," Superman nodded. "I myself will be searching Metropolis for her."  
  
"I need to return to Gotham," Batman said.  
  
"I'll help with Metropolis," Lantern offered.  
  
"As will I," Hawkgirl said.  
  
"I will help in what ways I can," J'Onn said.  
  
"Thanks, all of you," Superman smiled. "What about you, Diana?"  
  
Wonder Woman shook her head. "I want to head back home and see if I can find out who this mystery woman is. Something on the inside tells me I know her."  
  
"A specter of the past, perhaps?" J'Onn suggested.  
  
"I honestly don't know," Diana said, shaking her head.  
  
"Well, let's get looking," Superman said.  
  
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AUTHOR: Hope that was okay for a speculation chapter!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	3. Heroes and Villains

Trial By Fire  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
TO O: A great idea, although I can't put it in this fic. Maybe a one-shot later on or something, but thanks.  
  
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Chapter 3: Heroes and Villains  
  
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Phoenix was wandering Metropolis on foot again, keeping a telepathic eye open in case the Justice League came near. They were obviously looking for her, and even if they weren't, she couldn't really let them know the truth about who she was.  
  
Having yet again restructured her clothes, she was dressed like a civilian and acting like one, so that she wouldn't attract any attention. Metropolis was a very big city, and she could probably wander around for a while without being noticed by the superhero population. It took more than super-powered people to fill a city.  
  
Phoenix had only so many options now: She could explain herself to the JLA; she could vanish yet again and stay vanished; she could wipe their memories and go about her life; she could become a superhero and try to right her unpleasant mistakes; or she could become a villain like before.  
  
That last option sickened her, due to what had happened afterward. She lost Scott, even though he had never really been hers, and she had lost any future she might have had with the X-Men and Marvel Earth. Besides, killing five billion people was not something people smiled at.  
  
Sighing, she silently prayed for a sign from above, even though she didn't believe in that, being a cosmic entity.  
  
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"Going anywhere special?" Superman asked, startling Phoenix.  
  
"How did you sneak up on me?" she asked, puzzled.  
  
"With my help," the Martian Manhunter said as he and the rest of the Justice League descended to the sidewalk, surrounding Phoenix.  
  
"What do you people want?" the cosmic entity asked stiffly.  
  
"Answers, for one thing," Superman said. "Like how you survived that explosion, and what happened when the rubble fell on you."  
  
"Even I have rights," Phoenix said.  
  
"And we have a right to know about any emerging superheroes," Flash said, trying to act important.  
  
Phoenix laughed. "I'm no emerging superhero. I never was."  
  
"Then what are you?" Manhunter asked.  
  
"More than anything you people could handle, that's for sure," Phoenix replied, moving to leave.  
  
"We aren't finished just yet," Batman said.  
  
"I've fought tougher than you, Batman," Phoenix said. "Much tougher."  
  
"Just tell us something," Superman asked.  
  
"Like what? Like how I saved the world from one threat only to become one myself because I went power-hungry? Or how about the five billion people I wiped out with hardly a sweat broken?"  
  
The Justice League was, to say the least, shocked.  
  
"You killed five billion people?" Green Lantern asked. "Why?"  
  
"A secret group of corrupt people tried to manipulate me, and I decided to strike out on my own. They were beaten, my own friends fought me, as did an alien race that was involved in my saving the world. I pretty much went insane, destroyed a world, and was beaten myself. After that, I hopped universes, coming here."  
  
"But what are you?" Flash asked. "I don't know if any human has that kind of power."  
  
Phoenix snorted. "I'm a cosmic entity, not a human."  
  
"Look," Superman said. "It doesn't really matter that you killed those people now. You can't change the past, but you can change the future. As long as you don't do it again, things should be okay."  
  
Phoenix thought about that. She supposed it was true, but it had a major risk factor.  
  
"You realize you're all taking the risk of your collective lives to ask me to try and behave myself while gallivanting around, saving the world?"  
  
"It's a risk worth taking," Superman said. "People need to be defended when they can't defend themselves."  
  
"But if I lose control again, there's nothing any of you could do to stop me."  
  
"Don't be so sure about that," Green Lantern said. "We're powers to be reckoned with ourselves."  
  
Phoenix snorted again. "You still have no idea how powerful I am, little human."  
  
"I take it that's a yes?" Superman asked.  
  
Phoenix grinned. "I'll do what I can, but no promises."  
  
They shook on it.  
  
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AUTHOR: I hope that was okay, even though it was rather short!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


	4. Light and Dark

Trial By Fire  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Hope people keep reviewing this story!  
  
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Chapter 4: Light and Dark  
  
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Javelin 7 docked at the Watchtower, and Wonder Woman disembarked from her craft. She shook her head in exasperation. Her trip to Amazon Isle had been virtually fruitless, because Queen Hippolyta could recall the woman who had washed up on the shores of the Amazon home while Diana could not. It puzzled the heroine as to why this was so. She should remember the visitor!  
  
Sighing, she walked through the hangar, heading for the main chamber. The rest of the League would need to know about this oddity. Diana wondered if J'Onn could use his vast telepathy to remove the mental block that seemed to be in her head. She hoped he would be able to, although she honestly had no idea.  
  
The elevator finished its ascent, and Wonder Woman stepped out the open doors---and froze.  
  
"You!" she said, blinking in surprise at the sight of the woman from the street battle.  
  
Seated comfortably, Phoenix gazed at Wonder Woman. The Amazon princess seemed to frail and so much like a mere mortal that Phoenix would have laughed it she felt like doing so. She was still garbed as the Dark Phoenix, but she thought she might revert back to the green, regular Phoenix uniform later.  
  
"Glad to see you two have already met," Superman said as he flew up from the lower levels, landing next to Phoenix, who didn't look away from Diana.  
  
"Superman, what is this woman doing here?" Diana asked.  
  
J'Onn rose through the floor and answered the question. "She has opted to become a part of the Justice League for as long as she can."  
  
"I don't understand," Wonder Woman said, confused. "As long as you can?"  
  
"I have a pattern of causing the apocalypse to happen sometimes," Phoenix said simply.  
  
Flash zipped in and smiled, standing next to Diana. "But we decided to give her a chance if she's willing to try and be good."  
  
"Even though she admits to murdering five billion people because she went insane," Batman said, appearing out of nowhere from behind Wonder Woman.  
  
This further shocked the Amazon.  
  
"She murdered five billion people, and you want her on the Justice League?" she asked her teammates. "Are you all nuts? What if she does it again?"  
  
"We're going to do everything we can to prevent that from happening, Wonder Woman," Superman told his friend. "She claims to be stronger than all of us, but that doesn't mean we can't try. Besides, we can't go around judging people solely by their mistakes."  
  
After a moment, Diana said, "I suppose not. But this is still against my better judgment."  
  
"Then let's get to work," Hawkgirl said.  
  
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The Justice League decided to test Phoenix by leading her around Metropolis and having her stop crimes. Flash had, at first, suggested Gotham, but the others voted against that due to a few of the Dark Knight's rogues getting Phoenix to go ballistic.  
  
A couple of crooks, using energy pistols, were holding up a bank. It almost made Phoenix laugh to imagine herself stopping such petty criminals, but she decided she might as well do the chore.  
  
Reaching out, she ripped the guns from the men's hands and caused them to ram their owners in the stomachs, dropping them. She then twisted the weapons into bonds to keep the robbers down until the police arrived.  
  
Moving on, Phoenix followed Superman as he raced to the scene of a fire, where some children were trapped inside a burning building.  
  
"You get the youngsters, I'll handle the blaze," the cosmic entity said without hesitance. She needed to rebuild her strength, or it might get too low. As the Man of Steel flew out of the inferno, Phoenix reached out yet again and sucked in the flames, consuming them. They were no match for her power, and quickly became a part of that power.  
  
After being thanked by grateful parents, firefighters, and policemen, Superman and Phoenix flew off to find another crisis to stop.  
  
"How did you do that?" Superman asked.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Stop the fire, of course."  
  
"I devoured it," she said before moving faster and making him speed up to keep pace with her.  
  
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After cooling down, Phoenix returned to the Watchtower to rest up before some major threat arose, as it always did. She was mildly surprised to see Flash there.  
  
"Don't you have something to do?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm doing it," he said with that ever-cocky smile of his. "So, tell me, what are the people from your universe like?"  
  
She blinked, caught off guard by the question.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Come on, what are people from your home universe like? What color skin they have, whether or not they brush their teeth, all that."  
  
Phoenix laughed a little. "Are you always like this?"  
  
"You bet."  
  
"First off, my home universe is the Marvel Universe. Second, I can't just tell what we're like---we're far too diverse, just like this universe. Third, hitting on me is not worth it."  
  
Flash blinked. "I'm that easy to figure out?"  
  
"What can I say? You're shallow."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm a great guy once you get past the cockiness."  
  
"I bet."  
  
"Come on!" Flash pleaded. "Won't you at least let me TRY and woo you?"  
  
"No," she said flatly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I already have a guy I love."  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
Phoenix glowered at Flash.  
  
"Okay, bad question, sorry," he said before rushing off to keep from making her any angrier with him.  
  
Phoenix sighed heavily. She didn't like to talk about her tragic love life with Scott Summers. Especially not to the Justice League. They wouldn't understand unless she used her telepathy to show them just what it was like in the Marvel Universe, with all the hatred and fear directed at mutants, and whatnot. Besides, just THINKING about Scott, who was so very far away now, and happy with the real Jean Grey, made the pain worse.  
  
Staring out at the stars, Phoenix wondered if she would ever feel the love of a good man again...  
  
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On Apokolips, Darkseid was plotting. He was always plotting, using every tidbit of information he got against Superman, his greatest enemy. The Man of Steel had weaknesses that could be exploited, and Darkseid would relish breaking the hero.  
  
And now that this new heroine had appeared, Superman had given Darkseid another weapon. It was obvious that the hero inwardly fancied this "Phoenix," hiding the emotions beneath a veil of concern for the people of Earth.  
  
Darkseid had Desaad prepare for a brief excursion to Earth, to snatch up the Phoenix and use her against Superman. The Man of Steel would doubtlessly head to Apokolips to challenge its ruler, and would meet his demise there.  
  
The woman, though, was a mystery. Nothing was known about her, even from the spies on Earth. This puzzled Darkseid, and made him interested in the female. True, she would probably decline any offers he could make her, but that wouldn't stop him from making them and seeing if he was indeed wrong. Some heroes were also villains.  
  
This Phoenix would prove that fact by destroying the Justice League.  
  
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AUTHOR: Well, I hope that was okay! READ N REVIEW! 


	5. Return of the Black Queen

Trial By Fire  
  
By Blackheart Syaoran  
  
AUTHOR: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the wait!  
  
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Chapter 5: Return of the Black Queen  
  
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Phoenix was staring out onto the Metropolis cityscape when Batman appeared from behind, walking up to her side. She had sensed him coming but had done nothing.  
  
"Why are you here, Phoenix?" he asked brusquely.  
  
"I wasn't allowed to live," was the answer.  
  
"It had to do with the five billion dead, didn't it?"  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"And you're hoping to be accepted here?"  
  
"You don't understand."  
  
"Try me."  
  
Phoenix turned her head and glared at him, matching his own glare.  
  
"You have absolutely no idea what it's like for people to suffer legally. Imagine you and all your Justice League friends---and enemies---hunted 24/7 by giant robots, racists and bigots, and your own kind. All superhuman people are freaks that need to die horribly unspeakable deaths, and no one cares about your voice in government, because you might as well not have one."  
  
"If it means anything, I'm sorry for your losses."  
  
"That's just it: You don't know my losses, and what I just talked about aren't my losses. I told you that I'm a cosmic entity. It's my job to protect the entire universe from all sorts of evil. I came here because of that, and because the only place I could be happy was Earth, a home I could never go back to. I would have been hunted down everywhere, and only by killing would I have stayed alive."  
  
"But why is our universe any different in the sense of being home?"  
  
"Because those 'hunted' I was just talking of don't exist here. The DC Universe is far more tolerant of the superhuman community than the Marvel Universe."  
  
"I suffered a great deal myself, and at a young age. I guess you could say I was traumatized from the whole thing in the sense that it made me what I am."  
  
"Getting to watch your parents being gunned down by some loser is nothing compared to what I went through," Phoenix said coldly, old memories stirring from the conversation.  
  
Batman started. "How did you---?"  
  
"I'm psychic. You're a book to me, hero."  
  
Just then, a crackling sound split the air as bright white light lit up the rooftop they stood on, not twenty feet away. Turning and shielding their eyes, they managed to get a glimpse of numerous bulky figures fly from the circular portal at them, brandishing what seemed to be lances.  
  
Batman heard a crackle of electric energy prior to Phoenix's scream, and the thud of her body hitting the rooftop. He reached for a weapon, but the figures slammed into him, throwing the Dark Knight over the edge of the building. As he fell, Batman grabbed onto the ledge of a window, stopping himself and holding on for dear life.  
  
Up on the rooftop, a cloaked man directed the aliens as they carried the stunned Phoenix through the portal. Casting a final glance about, Desaad left Earth.  
  
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"Are you sure it was Darkseid?" Hawkgirl asked.  
  
"I've heard about him, and I'm not the World's Greatest Detective for nothing," Batman replied flatly.  
  
The team was assembled in the Watchtower, discussing the abduction of their newest teammate.  
  
"But how do we get her back?" Wonder Woman asked. "As far as I know, it's not too easy for us to land on Apokolips."  
  
"We can use a teleporter I stole from my journey there," Superman said. "I gave it to S.T.A.R. Labs to work with, and they've made surprising progress."  
  
"Are you sure this is safe?" Flash asked. "I may want to get to know her, but I want to live to tell about it."  
  
"Then don't come," Green Lantern said coldly. "We've got a job to do."  
  
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Phoenix hated being stunned, and hated being captured even more. She knew all about the enslavement of mutants through her copied Jean Grey memories, and they were not pretty.  
  
Groaning, she opened her eyes and looked around. Apparently, she was in some sort of enormous chamber made of dull, smoothed gray stone. And it looked like a great hall of sorts.  
  
"Welcome to Apokolips," said a booming and deep voice that reminded her of a few supervillains she met on Earth back in the Marvel U. "I am Darkseid, ruler of this world."  
  
The "ruler" was at least Superman's height, with a thick-set body and glowing eyes. His outfit was rather simple, and Phoenix fought not to laugh at it. He sat on a stone throne like the king he believed he was.  
  
"Why did you bring me here?" she demanded.  
  
"Because you interest me," he answered. "I believe that dealing with you will be a worthwhile task."  
  
Phoenix narrowed her eyes. "I don't like being kidnapped."  
  
Darkseid shrugged. "There really was no other was to speak with you, as I am not liked on Earth."  
  
"That's YOUR problem," Phoenix said coldly.  
  
Someone behind her rammed a rod against Phoenix's back, and she was shocked with a blast that brought her to her knees. Gasping, she turned around to find a chunky old woman in costume, with wild white hair, brandishing the weapon.  
  
"Granny Goodness will teach you some manners," the old woman said.  
  
Phoenix was slowly getting angry. Standing up, she glowered at Granny.  
  
"If you ever do that again, it'll be the last time your brain ever uses its higher functions."  
  
"Ooh, a fighter! I like spirit, girl!" the woman cackled.  
  
"Granny," Darkseid said, stopping her. "You will have to excuse my assistant. She tends to be rather eager sometimes."  
  
"And you tend to make fatal mistakes, such as making me mad," Phoenix growled.  
  
"I will talk with you," Darkseid said, as though finalizing it.  
  
"On a cold day in hell," sneered another woman's voice just before what looked like a female Juggernaut landed from above. "The name's Stompa, little girl."  
  
Phoenix laughed. "I've beaten much tougher than you, fatso."  
  
"Girls," Darkseid growled.  
  
Abruptly, a cloaked man burst into the room, rushing up to Darkseid.  
  
"My Lord, the Justice League has arrived and are making their way here!" he reported. "Our forces are doing the best they can to route them, Lord!"  
  
Darkseid narrowed his eyes. "Make sure I am not interrupted."  
  
Bowing, the man fled the chamber.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Green Lantern encased Steppenwolf in a green bubble, Hawkgirl finishing off his flying cycle, before the Lantern threw the man away like a toy.  
  
"We need to move faster!" he called to his comrades.  
  
"I'm working on it!" Superman said.  
  
"Long good enough, love," Lashina said as she wrapped a bandage around his arm, shocking him. He grabbed the weapon and jerked, causing her to slam into him and slump to the ground.  
  
"Play nice, kiddies!" Mad Harriet warned as she slashed at Martian Manhunter, who became ghostlike and let her fly through him, smacking into a wall. "Hey!"  
  
"I did nothing," he said innocently.  
  
Suddenly, a resounding boom was heard coming from the main palace.  
  
"Not good, I'm guessing," Lantern said.  
  
"Who wants to bet that's our girl raising hell?" Flash asked.  
  
"Move, people!" Superman ordered.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Darkseid, Stompa, and Granny had been blown against the walls by Phoenix's telekinetic blast. She eyed them scornfully as she ripped apart her shackles.  
  
Surrounded by a flame aura, she stalked toward Darkseid, who was still recovering.  
  
"Not one more step, small fry!" Stompa boomed as she stepped in front of Phoenix.  
  
With a dismissive flick of the wrist, the powerhouse was thrown through the far wall, creating a large hole.  
  
"We're not so easy to beat, honeybunch!" Granny leered as she charged Phoenix from behind. She hit the flame aura and her weapon overloaded, electrocuting her.  
  
"It seems you are my enemy after all," Darkseid said to Phoenix. "A pity."  
  
"The only pity is on Earth, fool," Phoenix said as she lashed out with a flame talon just as Darkseid fired his eye beams. For a moment, he seemed to be winning, but then Phoenix began absorbing his energy, and became stronger. Her talon grabbed him up, hauled back, and cracked him against the wall of the throne room.  
  
The Justice League burst in at that moment, halting in surprise at the scene.  
  
"Phoenix, he isn't worth it!" Superman yelled.  
  
"Don't tell me what to think," she said without looking away from her victim. Darkseid struggled in the embrace of the talon, unable to free himself despite firing again and again.  
  
"This is bad," Lantern said to the others. "How can we stop her?"  
  
"We just do," Batman said as he hurled a batarang at the cosmic entity. It exploded far from her, doing no harm. "She has a shield up, apparently."  
  
"J'Onn?" Superman asked.  
  
"I will try," the Martian replied, turning into a ghost. He flew at the aura, hit it, and seemed to be electrocuted.  
  
Meanwhile, Darkseid was losing the battle against Phoenix worse than before. It seemed as though he were being drained of his very life, because she was taking all his power.  
  
"No one in any universe has the right to harm me, mortal," she sneered as she extended her flame, consuming the tyrant. He barely managed a weak scream.  
  
Recalling her incredible energies, Phoenix turned to the Justice League.  
  
"I hope this doesn't change anything between us," she told them, and they stared in astonishment at the statement.  
  
"You just killed someone!" Superman said. "How can that not change things?"  
  
"I told you that I was no hero," she said coldly. "I am the Phoenix, not a saint."  
  
"Try and look at the bright side, Supes," Flash said. "We get her back, D's gone, and Apokolips will probably war with itself for a new despot. That has to be some good."  
  
"It shouldn't have been accomplished this way," the Kryptonian said stubbornly.  
  
"Maybe not," Wonder Woman said softly. "But it was anyway. Life follows its own rules."  
  
"Well, even though this is very big, I wouldn't mind letting her stay on the team," Green Lantern said. "Darkseid more than deserved what he got here today. There's no denying that."  
  
"It'll take some getting over, though," Batman said.  
  
"I'm already over it," Flash said as he smiled at Phoenix.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "You'll never stop, will you?"  
  
"Can we return now?" J'Onn asked.  
  
"I guess so," Hawkgirl said as she opened up the portal.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
AUTHOR: I leave the aftermath of the event to you fans. That way, you get your ending your way!  
  
READ N REVIEW! 


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